Opinion

by Jan Wheatcroft I am keeping a very low and safe profile in light of the pandemic. I have gotten quite used to my own company as have so many others who wish to remain safe and healthy.  Having such long periods where I am alone, I find that I have so much more time […]

Cleaning the trails Dear Editor: As I left my house this morning, I found a glove in my pocket left over from the days when I would pick up trash every second Saturday of the month for the Friends of the Wilderness Park. (Sadly, the pandemic put a stop to their efforts). So I decided […]

by Chris Naticchia With the murder of George Floyd, the ensuing mass protests, and fast-approaching elections, a discussion of systemic racism has gained traction like never before. This discussion is long overdue. What we’re finally acknowledging—collectively, as a culture, and among whites in particular—is that Blacks and other people of color frequently encounter discrimination in […]

by Peter Weinberger | pweinberger@claremont-courier.com Earlier this month, Reps. Ann Kirkpatrick (D-AZ) and Dan Newhouse (R-WA) introduced the Local Journalism Sustainability Act, a bipartisan bill that helps preserve community journalistic coverage throughout the United States. Local news publications already faced financial difficulties before the onset of COVID-19. Now, in the wake of the severe economic […]

Make the sacrifice Dear Editor: To all the people I know and don’t know in Claremont and beyond: To the salon owner who is clandestinely seeing clients though your shades are down and a sign says you are closed, and to those clients quickly entering and exiting, thanks to your actions this virus is unending […]

by John Neiuber In the last installment we ended the tour in front of Carnegie Hall (Library). From Carnegie Hall proceed south on College Avenue to the corner of College and Fourth Street.  POMONA COLLEGE PRESIDENT’S HOUSE, 1915, 335 N. COLLEGE AVE. The classic American Foursquare home has the distinction of being the oldest presidential […]

A public apology Dear Editor: This is an Open Letter of Apology to all the people of color who spoke at the Police Commission meeting on July 7. I am apologizing for my unawareness and insensitivity to your experiences, especially as I was describing my very positive experience working with our Claremont Police Department. I […]

by Mark von Wodtke, FASLA Many of us are making our homes as sustainable as possible. But are these homes sustainable? How can we regenerate? A significant change for a home is to use solar electricity—particularly with battery backup. This provides energy production and storage—right where we need it. We can make better use of […]

Commons not a good fit Dear Editor: I am writing to share my strong support for the recommendation that Jennifer Jaffe made in her July 3 letter that The Commons not be used for residential development but only for appropriate commercial development. All of the reasons she outlined are accurate and compelling. Ultimately, this project […]

By John Pixley Sometimes, it’s the little things that count. Sometimes, the little things are what bring joy and pleasure. That’s especially true during this pandemic and the recent uprising over police brutality and racial inequality, as overdue and as hope-inspiring as it is. (Did they have to happen at the same time, especially as […]

Open letter to city leaders [Editor’s note: The following letter was sent to the city manager and council, with a copy forwarded for publication. —KD] Dear Editor: We are not the only residents who have appreciated our city staff’s reading of comment emails and letters at public meetings. Unfortunately, our city manager’s recent weekly update […]

by Peter Weinberger | pweinberger@claremont-courier.com There’s been an enormous amount of discussion throughout the country about whether states should enforce strict measures for wearing masks to slow the spread of COVID-19. Mask wearing enforcement can be so intense that some health officials quit their jobs after receiving threats from the public. Americans clearly feel they […]

by John Neiuber Our walking tour of Claremont continues. In part one, we started at the Depot, zig-zagged our way through the east Village, and explored the west Village, ending at The Packing House on First Street. Part two begins there. Cross First Street and proceed north on Oberlin.   THE BACK ABBEY, 1907, 128 […]

by Matt Weinberger This is an experience I had to share. I’m leaving LA for work in Virginia when I know everyone I’m going to see has one thing on their mind…am I healthy? To squash all those thoughts and give people peace of mind I decided to take a COVID-19 test. Upon taking the […]

by Jan Wheatcroft My life has been made up of stories. As a small child I sat under the ironing board while Sirreaner ironed and told me stories of her life and answered all my nosy questions about sex and growing up. I felt safe and captivated by the descriptions that only she would share […]

Burying the lede? Dear Editor: I believe the headline for your June 19th story on the city council budget would have been more accurately titled, “City Council Ignores National Trend of Defunding the Police.” Let’s set the record straight: our city council voted to increase funding to the police by 7.33 percent while decreasing funding […]